Wider park performance has never been more floaty or fun. The 2021 Liberty Helix 98 is a fantastic choice for all-mountain and freeride skiers who also spend time in the park as well as backcountry hits and jibs. These playful fat twins are light, quick, and incredibly fun. Load up the tips for a butter or wheelie out on the tails, you're sure to have a good time on the Helix 98. Built with just a bit of rocker-10% in the front and 5% in the back, these skis are mainly cambered, and that's a good thing when it comes to having a snappy and poppy ski to play with. While not the best for floating or smearing, the cambered profile does provide extra edge grip and energy in the turns. The bamboo and poplar core is bolstered by carbon stringers and a fiberglass wrap, so you are getting some beef with that lighter weight. With a nearly 20-meter turn radius in the 179 cm length, the Helix 98 can make a variety of turn shapes and styles which is perfect for that all-mountain freestyler who will love these skis. While we weren't able to get our own testing staff on the 98 this year, we did get some valuable feedback from a couple of Liberty athletes, and it's great to hear their side of the story as well as their expertise and real-world experience.
ROCKER PROFILE
Rocker / Camber / Rocker
CORE MATERIALS
PREFERRED TERRAIN
All Mountain, Park, Powder
Stephen Pille skis the 186 and loves the playfulness, forgiveness, and maneuverability of the 98, with each of those categories earning 5's out of 5. 4's for stability, versatility, and overall impression round out the strong-scoring 98 in Stephen's experience. These consistently high scores are usually indicative of a very well-rounded ski of the highest order, so it's impressive to see with the Helix 98 for sure. I like how Stephen uses his analysis, breaking it down clearly: "When I use this ski: groomers, packed powder, slushy spring days, and skiing in the terrain park. Favorite characteristics: Light weight, quick turns, slight rocker in the tip and tail make initiating turn effortless, camber underfoot makes for energetic turns, playful. To sum things up, the Helix 98 is an excellent option for a wide variety of skiers. It is easygoing enough for less-aggressive skiers, while still allowing more advanced skier to go big and ski fast." Well stated, Stephen!
Michael Cappola skis the 179 and is a huge fan of the 98's versatility, playfulness, forgiveness, and maneuverability, with each of those categories earning 5's out of 5. Additionally, he lists an overall impression score of 5, indicating a high level of enjoyment on this ski. Like Stephen, Michael scores the 98 a 2 out of 5 for flotation, as the minimal rocker profile doesn't lend to strong powder skiing, but we'll let that slide. Michael states that the "Helix 98 is a super-versatile ski in all types of conditions. It's not too far off from the Origin 106 which surfs the pow like no other. As well as remarkably holding up while skiing the terrain park, the edges are incredibly durable for slamming onto rails and other stuff. Also, the bamboo stringers and the poplar core make it surprisingly light for the dimensions of the skis. I'm a huge fan of the Helix 98 because it will plow through all types of snow with no issues."
At the end of the day, it's all about having fun out there on the hill, and if your idea of fun consists of all-mountain skiing filled with tricks and play, then the Helix 98 is an awesome choice. Very snappy and fun, the skis will make all sorts of turns and won't beat you up in the process.
